Tree stands which allow hunters, wildlife photographers, and others to climb trees and remain perched thereupon have become increasingly popular in recent years. While most tree stands are generally safe, injuries from falls frequently occur to persons utilizing tree stands mounted to tree trunks.
Persons using tree stands have been extremely uncomfortable when standing on tree stands due to apprehensions of heights and the possibility of falling from the stand. Because of these apprehensions, a person may not feel free to move and turn on the stand to take proper aim and, accordingly may not be able to take proper aim to make the best shot, either through use of a gun or camera, at the wildlife within their view.
To minimize the possibility of accidentally falling to the ground from tree stands, it has been common practice to utilize ropes, straps and other devices to ensure that the person on the stand does not fall to the ground and cause injury to the person. Most prior art devices do not allow a user to feel comfortable to move and turn on a tree stand while restrained by the devices.
Prior art devices known to exist include those disclosed and claimed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,273,215; 4,396,091; 4,478,311; 4,579,196; 4,923,048; 4,951,778; 4,991,689; 5,050,704; 5,203,829; and 5,341,896. Of these prior art devices, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,273,215; 4,991,689; 5,050,704; and 5,203,829 appear to be somewhat pertinent to the improved safety restraint device of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,215 discloses a harness assemblies comprising a chest web which surrounds the user's chest, a waist web which partially engages the user's waist, a shoulder web which extends over the user's shoulders, a rear gang connector which connects each of the chest web, the waist web and shoulder web at the center of the user's back, a lifeline web fixedly secured to the rear gang connector, quick release buckles for connecting the free ends of the waist and chest webs, and an object engaging web secured to the free end of the lifeline web.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,689 (FIG. 5) discloses a harness assemblies comprising a body harness which partially surrounds the user's shoulders, chest, back and thighs and having a D-ring member adjacent the back of the user; and a lanyard having a snap hook at one of its ends for engaging the D-ring member and loop means at its other end for engaging a fixed object.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,704 (FIGS. 3 and 4) discloses a harness assembly comprising two shoulder straps crossing at the user's back and including a pair of leg straps; a support plate for surrounding the shoulder straps where they cross at the user's back; a cross strap for connecting the shoulder strap adjacent the user's chest and having a releasable buckle therein; and a safety line adapted for connection at one of its ends to the support plate and at its other end to a fixed object such as a pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,829 (FIGS. 1-6) discloses a safety harness comprising a shoulder strap for surrounding the shoulders of a user; a waist strap that partially surrounds the waist of a user; a seat strap including end portions for wrapping around the user's thighs; a rear lanyard mounting ring; and a plurality of buckles for releasably securing the ends of the straps to fasten the harness to the user.
Each of these prior art harness assemblies include numerous deficiencies and disadvantages which are overcome by the safety restraint device of the present invention.
The present invention provides an improved safety restraint device that fills a need for a simple, effective, easy to use, device which is not hampered by flexibility of movement of the user and which includes a pouch or pocket for housing a major portion of the device when the user is not wearing the device which permits storage of the device in an orderly and untangled condition so that the user can easily and readily don the device in the wilderness even during the darkness of early morning.